Star Fox: Multiplayer Loses Steam Without New Maps

Star Fox is undoubtedly one of the games of the summer. Celebrated by critics and players alike (read our review of Star Fox on Switch 2), Velan Studios' modern take on the Nintendo 64 classic, Lylat Wars/Star Fox 64, is a standout remake in Nintendo's history. It offers an addictive and replayable arcade experience, refreshingly engaging despite the original formula's age. However, as noted in our initial impressions, there was a significant drawback: the new multiplayer mode, while capturing the current gameplay concept perfectly, felt a bit light on content. And this is precisely what the game is currently lacking.

It's been a month since Star Fox was released on Switch 2. Numerous social media posts indicate that fans are thoroughly enjoying the Campaign mode, replaying it multiple times to unlock and complete everything. Yet, the limited selection of three maps for the Battle mode (Corneria, Fichina, and Sector Y) is already beginning to feel restrictive.

While we don't have official data—not even sales figures—awaiting Nintendo's next quarterly report covering late spring and early summer (including Star Fox's launch), observing online activity is enough to confirm one thing: there are significantly fewer players online. Granted, it's peak vacation season, and with a heatwave on the horizon in late July, the last thing most people want to do is sit on the couch. However, where finding a match was quick and easy in the first three weeks post-launch, with the majority of games being 4v4, the situation has changed dramatically. Lobbies are now frequently filled with AI-controlled characters (bots), often devolving into 1v1 duels between human players. This leads to longer matchmaking times, poorer connection quality due to a lack of nearby players, and an overall more tedious, monotonous, and frustrating experience.

These issues rarely resolve themselves magically, as the core community often forms in the game's initial weeks and may have already moved on to other activities. Even if the game's success is considered a given, it remains uncertain whether Nintendo and Velan Studios are planning an additional map pack via DLC for "Star Fox on Switch 2," or if such a DLC would be paid or free. However, as things stand, it seems this would be the only way to reignite interest in an online mode that was, at its core, very well-designed.

Should this hypothetical planet pack be released in the near future, we at Gamereactor have prepared a guide, "Three Things Star Fox is Missing (Besides More Multiplayer Maps)," which outlines a series of improvements and fixes that could perfect an already quite fluid game.

What does your gut feeling tell you? Will there be an update for Star Fox on Switch 2 before the end of summer, like a gift from ROB 64?